NOV. 8. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
Sublet. 
[Special Correspondence of Moore’s Rural New-Yorker.] 
Gbrop,—^foot mtir 
LETTER X.— SCOT LAND. 
BY GLEZEN F. WILCOX. 
ANOTHER COMPANION. 
We remained in Edinburg three days, and 
prepared to start again on our rambles early on 
Monday morning. At the Waverly Hotel, 
where we stopped, we met an American, who 
was interested in our pedestrian stories, and 
concluded to join us for the remainder of our 
trip through Scotland. G- was a young 
Bostonian ; and if he had appeared in the 
streets of his native city in las pedestrian cos¬ 
tume of heavy shoes, gray coat, slouched hat, 
and his knapsack and staff, he would have 
caused quite a sensation. He roused us at three 
o’clock in the morning, that we might, get clear 
of the city before the inhabitants should be 
stirring. He was not yet accustomed to the 
knapsack and rough staff, and the curious looks 
of the people were not received with undis¬ 
turbed feelings. 
WALK TO LINLITHGOW. 
We turned our backs on Holyrood and Salis¬ 
bury crags, passed under the gothic pinnacles 
of Scott's monument, and when the first sun¬ 
shine of a warm and lovely June morning 
streamed on Calton Hill, and added a kind of 
dusky splendor to the gray battlements of the 
castle, we were enjoying the fragrance and 
freshness of the beautiful scenery along the 
road to Stirling. After walking two or three 
miles, our appetites sharply demanded break¬ 
fast, and we knocked at the door of a village 
inn till we roused the dilatory landlady, who 
demanded from the inside of the fastened door 
what we wanted. We replied, “Some break¬ 
fast.” She refused to get us any or permit us 
to enter, alleging that the police would interfere 
if she opened her house before eight o'clock. 
At. the next village, however, which was two 
miles further on, we roused the inmates of an¬ 
other inn, and getting inside the house, were 
successful in persuading them to bring us some 
bread and butter and coffee. G-thought, it 
rather hard to walk five miles before breakfast. 
We were following the road to the Frith of 
Forth, which we reached at the Queen's Ferry. 
At that place it is about a mile in width, and 
midway between the shores, upon an island, 
stands the ruined castle of Inchgarry, which 
formerly was considered of much importance 
in guarding the entrance. Above and below 
the Frith widens, and a few steamers and sail- 
vessels dotted the smooth surface of its waters. 
The opposite shores rose gradually as they ex¬ 
tended backward, and the long slopes were 
variegated by clumps of trees, surrounded by 
various colored fields. Beyond rose the dis¬ 
tant hills of Perth, their dim round outlines 
scarcely distinguishable from the piles of thun¬ 
der clouds that overtopped them. The road 
led us a few miles out of the direct way to 
S irling. but we thought ourselves amply repaid 
for the additional labor, by the view of the 
Frith, which we should not otherwise have en¬ 
joyed. 
In a few hours we reached Linlithgow, where 
we stopped for dinner, and afterwards wander¬ 
ed about the grounds, and clambered over the 
ruins of the palace, which was once the occa¬ 
sional residence of the Scottish kings. The 
palace was a massive stone building in the form 
of a square, with au open court on the inside, 
and towers at each corner. The thickness of 
the remaining walls, and the depth of the arch¬ 
ed gateway, guarded by towers, speak plainly 
of the character of the times when the residence 
of royalty was within the defences of a for¬ 
tress. Mary, Queen of Scots, was horn here. 
About the middle of the last century the pal¬ 
ace was burned, and reduced to its present 
ruinous condition. Loch Linlithgow lies in the 
green lap of the hills, and laves the foot of the 
slopes which descend from three sides of the 
palace. The sunlight streamed richly on the 
waters, which sparkled and flashed as though 
strewn with diamonds, and near the further 
shore sailed a fleet of white swans. On the 
summit of the ruin, is a round tower that over¬ 
looks a wide and beautiful country, aud which 
evidently was a favorite look-out for the in¬ 
mates of the palace. Over the doorway on the 
inside is this inscription, cut upon the stone. 
It hints a mournful tale : 
“ His own queen Margaret, who in Linlithgow tower, 
All lonely sat and wept the weary hour.” 
The next day, which was the 24th of June, 
was the anniversM’y of the battle of Bannock¬ 
burn. It was chosen as the time for assembling 
a popular meeting at Stirling, to adopt resolu¬ 
tions, and contribute funds for erecting a suita¬ 
ble monument to the greatest and purest of 
Scottish patriots, William Wallace. Though 
so many hundred years have elapsed since his 
glorious achievements, and his country'has lost 
its individuality as a kingdom, and is united to 
that from whose armies he won liis^renowned 
victories, yet his memory is still-cherished by 
the Scotch people, aud the mementoes of his 
warfare are zealously preserved as a precious 
national inheritance. Representatives from all 
parts and classes of Scotland were_present. 
BANNOCKBURN. 
In the morning we left the village of Ban¬ 
nockburn, which is about three miles from 
Stirling, and under the guidance of the land¬ 
lord’s little daughter, we followed a footpath 
across the fields, and in half an hour reached 
the summit of Brock’s Brae — the eminence 
upon which Bruch posted his army when he 
paused in his retreat—within sight of the towers 
of Stirling. Here the battle field is seen to 
advantage. The hill slopes on all sides, and 
before you is a valley which until a few years 
ago was a bog. It was in the bog that, Bruce 
caused the concealed pits to be dug, which 
threw the English cavalry into confusion.— 
When the workmen were making the drains a 
few years ago, they threw up a crumbling 
sword blade, which is t he only relic of the con¬ 
test that has been found in a long time. Be¬ 
yond rises the hill which was occupied by the 
Eugltsh. Far to the right of Brock’s Brae is 
the Gillie Hill, down which the “ Gillies,” or 
camp-followers of the Scotch army, marched, 
with flying blaukets, and deceived the English 
into the belief that auother army was advan¬ 
cing to the support of Bruce. A couple of miles 
in the rear isStirliug town and castle. Through 
the valley where the pits were dug runs the 
Bannockburn, which gave its name to the bat¬ 
tle. It is said that it was filled with dead 
bodies, so that the combatants could walk over 
it without wetting their feet. Streams that 
are smaller than rivers are called “burns" by 
the Scotch, and Bannock is the individual 
name of this stream. 
The stone in which it is said the standard of 
Bruce was planted, is on the top of Brock’s 
Brae. Its original size was nearly twice what 
it now is, hut the attacks of Vaudal travelers 
have diminished it, and had it not been pro¬ 
tected by a strong iron grate, it would undoubt¬ 
edly have all been taken away. 
We met an excursion parly from Edinburg 
on the field.and engaged in conversation about 
the respective merits of Wallace aud Wash¬ 
ington. They thought Wallace as great, a war . 
rior, patriot and statesman as Washington, 
though not so successful. We walked down to 
the Bannock, and leaning over a mossy stone 
bridge, listened to its gliding wa f ers. How 
pleasant they murmured on the pebbly bottom! 
They seemed to sing a tale of the past. The 
commencement, of their song dates further hack 
into the mists of vears, than the gray ruins on 
Yonder plain. When the finest cast its deep 
shadow here, it, was old. When the towers on 
the craggy rock of Stirling, rose up and looked 
frownmgly around, they danced and sung.— 
When the clangor of arms, the noise of fieice 
comhatan's. and the groans of the dying, rose 
and mingled in the air, they mourned with a 
plaintive lament, as they bore away the red 
life-blood of the fallen braves. Fields of wav¬ 
ing grain and grass extended around, and the 
blue arching vault of heaven seemed like a ves¬ 
sel inverted, and its burden of golden sunshine 
poured down upon the earth. 
WALLACE MEETING AT STIRLING. 
We walked into Stirling with our new-found 
friends. The country people in their gayest 
attire were thronging in, mostly on foot, and 
the streets of the old town were thronged.— 
There was a mixture of all sorts of people ; the 
fashionably dressed townsman ; the country la¬ 
borers in their corduroys, and round, peculiar 
caps, aud occasionally a specimen of the genu¬ 
ine Highland costume. Bands were playing 
the national airs, and the shrill, stirring music 
of the hagpipe and the fife contrasted with the 
deep roll of the drum, ami the sweeter melody 
of brass instruments. We wanderer! through 
the streets, gazing at various objects that at¬ 
tracted our attention, until noon, when the pro¬ 
cession formed in marching order. It passed 
through the principal streets to the park at the 
outskirts of the town, where speeches were 
made and resolutions adopted. Six bands of 
brass instruments played in the column, l<esides 
several bagpipes and a couple of hands of fifes. 
The different clubs and societiesof the city and 
adjoining country, marched with their distinc¬ 
tive regalia and tokens, and numerous flags 
with various mottoes and devices, contributed 
to the splendor of the procession. An enor¬ 
mous Scotch thistle was carried, and a tattered 
blue blanket, which formerly was the flag of 
the weavers of Surfing. The displaying of it, 
was a sign for them to quit work, and rallv 
around it. to resist the grinding exactions of 
their employers. In the rear of the procession 
’he two-handed sword of Wallace was home 
aloft, and immedia'ely behind it floated his 
colors. I thought how often that sword had 
been died with foeman’s blood.and those colors 
waved victoi iously in tumultuous battle. 
We took a cross street and got, ahead of the 
marching columns, and seated ourselves on a 
stone wall, whence there was a favorable view 
as it passed before ns. Our three American 
hats, which happened to be alike, drew a great 
deal of attention, and we were looked lip to as 
much as anybody on the ground. It was amus¬ 
ing to hear some of the remarks ot the passers 
by. Such slight difference in dress would not 
be noticed in our country, where we are accus¬ 
tomed to see daily the different costumes of all 
the European nations. Upon arriving at the 
platforms erected for the speakers, we found 
that besides the space reserved for the proces¬ 
sion, there was also another inclosure immedi¬ 
ately in frout, to which access for the common 
people was denied. We stood outside with the 
crowd, leaning on the fence, when several 
jumped over. Thepolicemau inside endeavor¬ 
ed to stop the people, but in in vain. We also 
got over, aud in a good position for hearing the 
speakers, and in a few moments the enclosure 
was half full. Lord Elgin was the most noted 
man on the platfoim. He was called to the 
chair and deliveied a short speech. 
Before the crowd dispersed, we strolled over 
the ground to observe their arrangements — 
Seveial tents were put, up with long tables, 
inside which refreshments were sold. The 
seats were filled with people, who kept up loud 
and boisterous talking, aud the tables were 
nearly covered with glasses, bottles of ale, an$l 
spirituous liquors. On the green were several 
roulette tables, where small hoys and poorly 
dressed men aud women staked pennies. Lit¬ 
tle children who were scarcely high enough to 
look on to the tables, were putliug down their 
pennies with an eagerness, which showed how 
powerful was the excitement of gambling.— 
Another class were firing plugs from brass guns, 
which projected the missile a few inches by the 
explosion of a percussion cap. Boards with 
small riDgs marked on them for targets, were 
set up, and if the marksman could shoot the 
plug inside one of the rings, he won a handful 
of filberts, and if he failed, lost a half penny, 
From the had arrangements hut comparatively 
few of the crowd could hear the speaking, aud 
naturally they resorted to other methods for 
amusement, but I did not expect to see gam¬ 
bling carried on so openly in Scotland. 
W 1 
THOMAS BLANCHARD, INVENTOR. 
Thomas Blanchard, whose portrait accom- making copies of busts aud statues and to cut- 
panies this sketch, was born in Sutton, Wor- tio g cameos was subsequently made by Mr. 
cester County, Mass., June 24, 1788. The Blanchard, and it was these applications which 
origin of the family is French ; an ancestor of excited such admiration at the recent Paris Ex- 
Mr. Blanchard, having left Normandy, removed position, and obtained for the inventor a first 
to England, aud thence to Massachusetis, where class medal. 
he settled in Charlestown, in the year 1639.— In 1825, when public attention was engaged 
The father of the subject of our sketch was a on the subject of railroads and locomotive power, 
farmer, and the father of a large family. 
Mr. Blanchard built a steam-carriage for travel- 
At an early age, Thomas exhibited a fondness * u g 011 common roads, which is believed to have 
for mechanical pursuits, and was noted among been the first locomotive ever put in operation 
his companions for his ingenuity and dexterity 
in contriving mechanical toys, such as water¬ 
wheels, windmills, etc., with no other tools than 
in this country. It performed to the satisfac¬ 
tion of the inventor, turned corners, went back¬ 
ward and forward, and ascended grades. He 
a knife and gimlet. His occasional visits to also built models of railroad turnouts, and other 
the blacksmith’s shop, fired him with the desire improvements, now in general use. 
of constructing a little establishment of his In 1826, he built a light-draft steamer, with 
own, and with the kitchen bellows, an iron the wheel astern, which ascended the falls be- 
wedge for an anvil, and such other substitutes tween Hartford and Springfield with perfect 
as his ingenuity suggested, he contrived a ease, thus commencing a new era in the histo.iy 
miuiature forge, which actually peiformed his of Springfield, steam navigation having previ- 
work respectably. His first practical invention ously ended at Hartford. In 1828, the inventor, 
was a machine for paring apples, which he con- with a party of friends, made an excursion up 
trived and put in operation when only thirteen the river to a distance of 150 miles. He was 
years of age. By this machine, still in exten- everywhere received by the inhabitants with 
sive use, he could accomplish more work than enthusiasm. His boat, the “Vermont,” was 
half a dozen girls by their unaided labor. His succeeded by another, the “Massachusetts,” of 
next undertaking, commenced when he was largertonnage, butdrawingonly eighteen inches 
eighteen, though the idea had occupied his of water. In 1830, he was employed to build 
mind long before that, was a machine for a boat to ply between Pittsburg and Glean 
making tacks—the process then being perform- Point, on the Alleghany, a distance of 300 
ed by hand, and tedious, and not entirely satis- miles, the fall amounting in the whole to 600 
factory. He encountered various obstacles and feet, and the river in many places having a rapid 
discouragements, the want of means being the current. The boat was named the “ Alleghany," 
most serious, but finally he triumphed. His and made her trip with 30 passengers and 25 
success was so complete that he was able to tons of freight on board, penetrating solitudes 
manufacture five hundred tacks per minute, in which the smoke of a steamer bad never be- 
with more finished heads and points than fore been seen. Mr. Blanchard was on board, 
manual labor had ever succeeded in making.— and by his invitation the celebrated Indian 
He sold the patent for this invention to a com- chief, Cornplanter, came on board, when the 
pany for five thousand dollars—a sum far below boat reached his village, with his whole family, 
its value. and made an excursion up the river to his infi- 
His next great invention was a machine for nite delight, exclaiming “Great! great! great! 
turning musket barrels with an external finish. ?reat power !” The success ot the “Alleghany 
The lathe which he produced not only turned demonstrated the practicability of navigating 
the cylindrical part of the barrel, but the flat small and rapid rivers by steam, and this kind 
and oval sides of the breech, by the combiDa- °f boat is now in general use. But the most 
tion of one single, self directing operation. He important of Mr. Blanchard s inventions is yet 
almost immediately secured acontract for erect- to be noticed, viz., his machine for bending 
iDg one of his machines at the Springfield Ar- wood. 
mory. “ While the workmen," says Mr. Howe, Ry the operation of this machine, ship tim- 
“ were gathered around to witness its operation, her the largest size can be bent into any 
an incident occurred which finally led to the desired curve, without breaking its longitudi- 
truly wonderful invention for turning irregular na l fibres, while the pressure to which it is 
forms. One of the men, addressing himself to subjected increases its solidity. The timber 
a companion, says, ‘ Well, John, he has spoiled is first steamed or softened in a chemical bath, 
your job.’ ‘ I care not for that,’ was the reply, ■ It was this machine which has received the 
‘as long as I can get a better.’ One of the unqualified approbation of the United States 
musket-stockers, with a confident shake of his government inspectors, which created au un¬ 
head, then boastingly exclaimed, ‘that he paralleled sensation at Paris, obtained the 
(Blanchard) could not spoil his, for he could not unanimous approval of the jury, the first-class 
turn a gun-stock.’ This remark struck Blan- silver medal and the sale ot the patent right 
chard very forcibly,and in answer he observed, for France for a very large sum. It was par- 
‘I am not so sure of that, but will think of it ticularly appreciated in France, because there 
awhile.”’ The idea of turning by machinery the natural ship-knees furnished by the forest 
such a long, irregular form as the stock of a had become entirely exhausted. The machine 
musket seemed absurd, but he could not banish also has its important uses in manufacturing 
the subject from his mind. After remaining a felloes of wheels, plough handles, picture 
few days longer at Springfield, he left for his frames, curved furniture, etc. It has been truly 
residence at Millbury, Worcester County.— said that the advantages of this invention are 
While massing in a one-horse vehicle, in a stale beyond the powers ot conception, and that it 
of deep meditation, through the old town of inaugurates a new era in shipbuilding. W r e 
Brimfield, the whole principle of turning irreg- have thus rapidly passed in review Mr. Blan- 
ular forms from a pattern at once burst upon chard’s principal claims to honor and emolu- 
his mind. The idea was so pleasing and forci- ment, reserving no room for noting the various 
hie that, like Archimedes of old, he exclaimed honorable testimonials he has received, or the 
aloud, “I have got it! I have got it 1" Two various trials in the way of violation of his 
countrymen overhearing this, suddenly started patents and plagiarisms from his inventions to 
up from the wayside with countenances ex- which, in common with all distinguished in- 
pressive of wonder ; when one of them address- ventors, be has been subjected. He is now in 
ing his companion said, “I guess that man’s the enjoyment of en ample fortune, secured by 
crazy.” In a short time Blanchard built a his own genius. 
model of this machine, and so exact were its - +-—• - 
operations that it would perfectly turn a minia- The hearing ear is always found close to the 
ture stock. The date of this great invention is speaking tongue ; and no genius can long or 
1818. One of its most useful and universal ap- often utter anything which is not invited and 
plications is in the turning of boot and shoe gladly entertained by men around him.— Eng - 
lasts. The application of the principle to ‘ n s h Traits. 
Rblratfi gteittp. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
THE MOTHI BLESS ONE. 
The eye that watched my infant steps,— 
The armB of love around me thrown,— 
The voice of sweetest tenderness,— 
The heart that yearned o’er me alone, 
Where are they now ? That eye is dim. 
That voice is silent in the dust; 
Oh 1 sullen grave 1 lelentless tomb ! 
Welt hast thou kept thy sacred trust. 
Time’s wing hath flown o’er me, and I 
Have seen jear after year depart; 
No mother Bear to Soothe my grief, 
Or fold me to her faithful heart. 
True, I have called another one, 
By that same fond and holy name ; 
Vain mockery all, no other one 
Could love or care tor me the same. 
She loves me still—how oft I’ve dreamed, 
That her soft breath was on my cheek, 
And while my waiting bouI grew full 
Of joy too deep for words to speak,— 
Have fancied that I heard the rush 
Of unseen wings upou the air ; 
And on my vision slow unveiled 
Beheld that lost one standing there : 
And that she drew me to her arms 
As she was wont in days of yore, 
And whispered words of heavenly peace, 
Mine eais bad never heard before ;— 
And while I gi.zed with soul enwrapt. 
As dawned the bright and garish day, 
My dreams of midrj’ght slowly pass, 
My angel vision fades away. 
Or, out beneath the solemn skies, 
When evening wears her starry crown, 
From whence the day with calm adieu, 
In ropy glances melted down,— 
O then my thoughts have flown afar. 
With yearnings all too deep for tears, 
To dream my mother as her home 
Among those bright and burning sphere#. 
0 t loved and lost! in some bright world 
I know thou hast thy nigh abode ; 
That thou hast climbed empyrean heights, 
And found the bosom of tby God. 
I would not call thee back agaiq 
From whence tby parted wing bath flown ; 
Enough the b iss of heaven is thine. 
And earth without thee sad and lone. 
Grandviile, Mich., 1866. V. P. ESQ. 
ALL IN CHRIST. 
Man, woman, or child ! do you want any¬ 
thing ? Are you anxious about the matters of 
your soul ? Are you disturbed ? are you igno¬ 
rant ? Do you feel, “ It is wisdom I want ?”— 
Well, it is all in Christ. In the knowledge of 
him is eternal life. And do you understand it 
is all with Christ ? “ He that hath the Son haih 
life.” There is no salvation out of Him. We 
become bound with Him by faith, and then all 
that belongs to Him is ours—as it is all with 
Him. Once more, it is all for Christ. Did you 
understand that everything we rtceive is to go 
back to Him ?—it is given to us that we might 
glorify His holy name. Are you justified ?— 
Are you sanctified ? Are we temples of the 
Holy Ghost, heirs with Christ ? It is that we 
may have liberty to serve God, and glorify the 
name of the Redeemer. Thus, all that salva¬ 
tion implies is in Him, all that salvation implies 
is with Him, and all that salvation implies is 
for Him in lime and eternity. My brethren, 
Christ is a rock. He is a root, out of which 
flows the sap of grace, through the branches, 
and the soul that is united to Him, as a branch, 
receivetk it. He is the Ruck of ages ; and the 
soul that is based on Him, the gates of hell can¬ 
not prevail against; it shall rise up a mighty 
tower unto the skies, a building that shall mani¬ 
fest the wisdom, the grace and the glory of Gud 
throughout eternity.— Eev. G. Molyneux. 
PERSONAL DEVOTION. 
No Christian can be comfortable or prosperous 
without retirement. Popular ministers may 
preach, converse or pray in public, to the edify¬ 
ing of others, and yet decline in their own souls 
for want of examination, humiliation, and secret 
prayer, suited immediately to their own case.— 
Nay, the most able ministers will generally 
cease to be very useful if their personal religion 
is neglected, or hurried over in a formal manner. 
This the fervent Christian knows. He will, 
therefore, redeem time for retirement at the 
expense of many inconveniences; and the 
friends ot popular ministers should consider 
this, and not too much intrude upon the regular 
needed hours for retirement of those persons in 
whose company they most delight. In prose¬ 
cuting the work of God, our own inclinations, 
and those of our beloved friends, must often be 
thwarted; we must not “spend our time” 
with them when duty calls us another way, or 
when a prospect is before us of doing essential 
good.— Scott. 
THE SOUL. 
What makes the soul so valuable ? It is im¬ 
mortality. When endless years have run on, 
the soul will exist; amaziDg thought I Will it 
never tire ? Will the ethereal pulsation of sub¬ 
limited existence never grow heavy ? Will the 
wheel never be broken at the cistern ? Never 1 
The soul will endure as long as the throne of 
God ! As heaven’s wall shall gather no mosses 
from age, neither will the soul become decrepit; 
and in all the multitudes of heaven not one shall 
be seen leaning upon his staff for very old age ! 
What like the angels never grow old ? To be 
always the same through dateless centuries as 
when first.created I But cannot she annihilate 
herself? Oh, no I the soul’s literal suicide can- 
i not be performed I No Judas Iscariot can find 
’ a tree, or jutting wall which in Gehenna’s cav¬ 
ern, or burning fields, may offer him suspension 
• between life and death. Tiie soul must live on. 
—j Rev. Dr. Andrews. 
